The holiday season is approaching, and welcoming guests over Christmas and New Year can be very profitable. Whether travellers are visiting family or just fancy a quiet Christmas break, the holidays are an extremely busy time of year for the travel and accommodation industry. If you’re spreading your wings and flying the nest for the holidays yourself, you have the opportunity to become a host and make money from your empty home.

The first step is to secure one or more bookings over the crucial holiday dates. Use Hostmaker’s professional profile management service, including photography, which should get the enquiries rolling in. Our algorithm can also suggest the best price for your property, compared to other similar properties over the holiday period. Once you’ve generated the Christmas and New Year bookings it’s time to make sure your guests have a memorable experience and leave a good review. They might even decide to stay in your nest again next year!

Here are some top tips for improving the guest experience over the holiday season and providing a warm welcome.

Personalisation

A memorable guest experience is a personalised guest experience. Make your visitors feel special by going the extra mile and understanding their needs. For example, if you know a family with young children are staying then you could include some creative activities in the welcome pack, and leave a list of recommended holiday events nearby which are family friendly. If your guests have told you they will be driving around visiting family, leave some maps and parking information for them to plan their trips. Little details can have a huge impact, and let guests know you’ve really tried to improve their stay.

Spread Holiday Cheer

It’s always a nice idea to make your holiday rental feel more homely with some Christmas decorations. Remember that everybody’s tastes are different, so we don’t recommend going overboard with festive décor, however a small tasteful Christmas tree in the corner or a garland on the fireplace can add Christmas warmth and cheer. If you have guests on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day then you could also leave a small gift under the tree for them to open.

Adjust the Welcome Pack

All good hosts have a helpful welcome pack for their guests, giving essential information about the property and the surrounding area. At Christmastime you can modify the welcome information slightly – in fact this should be done each season to update the details and add useful extras. For the holidays why not include a handwritten Christmas or Happy New Year card wishing your guests a wonderful stay? You could also provide an umbrella, hot chocolate, blankets and tasty seasonal treats. If you have a large group staying then board games are a nice touch.

The guest experience is critical for those good reviews you need to rank well on Airbnb. At this time of year it pays to go the extra mile for your guests. If you need a hand providing the best possible experience, Hostmaker can help to add a touch of Christmas magic!